Summer 2021 Registration and Mini-courses
Summer is a season of change, growth, and exploration. To cultivate the resilience and joy of our students, we will be offering a wide variety of executive functioning services and creative mini-courses throughout 2021.
Students who work with us on executive functioning skills and subject content during the school year begin with our one-on-one 90 minute introductory organizational workshop, which reviews binders, planners, digital folders, and helps students set up a foundational system. We also go over nutrition, sleep, and stress-management, and encourage students to identify personal and academic goals. Our focus is on promoting proactive skill building, creating consistency, and looking ahead at upcoming plans, especially in a school year where the only constant is change. We've successfully adapted our organizational workshop and ongoing sessions to meet the current needs of students and families as they move through remote, hybrid, and in-person learning options. To register for school year support, please contact our office.
Our spring and summer mini-courses are perfect learning additions to promote engaged learning, critical thinking, and cognitive flexibility. Along with our writing workshops, test preparation, and college counseling, all mini-courses are available virtually – students can work with us from anywhere.
The mini-courses consistently receive rave reviews:
My poetry class was AMAZING! - 7th grader from Brooklyn, NY
My son is truly enjoying the self-identity workshop, thank you! - Parent from Menlo Park, CA
I've seen my daughter's confidence in math skyrocket! - Parent from Arlington, VA
We see our mini-courses as fun ways to encourage authentic learning and meaningful engagement. We customize any mini-course or workshop, and have happily done so for students and families around the world.
Intensive College Application Bootcamp
The Green Ivy four-day Intensive College Application Bootcamp is essential for every rising high school senior. Our college admissions bootcamp is a one-of-a-kind, comprehensive program designed to help rising high school seniors navigate the nuts and bolts of the application process. Participants learn how to organize their applications to shine a light on their talents, interests, and unique gifts. The four-day workshop goes through initial college lists, recommendation letters, personal statements, and supplemental questions, along with the basic information for the Common Application, UC Application, and Coalition Application.
Custom Session Available: Perfect for a small group of friends to work on their applications together. Must all agree to the same dates/times in advance. Please contact our office to schedule.
Introductory Organizational Workshop
Our Organizational Workshop introduces our organization, time-management, and personal productivity skills and systems. The workshop covers binders, digital folders, written planner, when/where/how to study, managing distractions, nutrition/sleep/stress management, and setting academic and personal goals.
The workshop is an encouraging introduction to the skills that we highlight during weekly follow up sessions, which we recommend to ensure retention of new habits. We've adapted the workshop to focus on strategies to help students during remote learning, including managing digital distractions during online calls, compartmentalizing work, coming up with a weekly schedule, and prioritizing social, emotional and physical wellness during remote learning.
The introductory workshop is a virtual one-on-one, 90-minute session with a member of our staff. Once you sign up, we will reach out to confirm a time and date that works. (Also offered for Middle School)
Develop Your Summer Blueprint (High School)
Poetry (High School)
From Amanda Gorman and Kendrick Lamar to Shakespeare, poetry teaches us to see the beauty behind everyday reality. This five-session workshop allows students to become more comfortable reading, understanding, and writing poetry. Students’ final projects could include polished rap verses, lyric poems, haiku collections, and more. Also offered for middle school students and as a custom course.
Custom Session Available: Perfect for a small group of friends to hone their poetry skills together.
Selfhood: A Journey in Self-Exploration (High School)
What can we learn from reading and writing stories? What can stories tell us about our own lives and identities? Through a series of activities and readings, we will examine our identities and develop the tools to tell our stories well. We will see how identities are formed and shaped through various experiences over time by collaborating with each other in investigating our own origins and history. Also offered for middle school students and as a custom course.
One-on-one Summer Writing Workshop
College Application Writing
Personal essays are the heart and soul of an effective college application. In this three-session, one-on-one course, students will draft an essay that reflects their own authentic stories, strengths, and values. The student and coach will review all aspects of the essay writing process, with exercises focused on idea generation, planning, style, organization, and storytelling. Each student will emerge from the course with a working draft of their personal statement, a comprehensive understanding of how to approach supplemental essays and short answer questions, and boosted confidence surrounding the college application process.
Digital Literacy
Digital Literacy - We know social media posts and messages have the potential to alter lives, and also know that students aren't always given the proper tools to navigate their online and in-real-life experiences. Even the most informed parents aren't up to date on the latest and greatest in technology. This three session course uses the framework of healthy socialization, effective self-regulation and overall safety to help students understand the importance of impact and how to create a blueprint for their online experiences that promotes social, emotional, physical and spiritual wellness. It is based on the work Green Ivy founder Ana Homayoun has been doing in public, private and independent schools around the country as a result of my latest book, Social Media Wellness. (Check out the book trailer video here). Also offered for middle school students.
Creative Nonfiction
Creative nonfiction turns even the most routine personal experiences into powerful reflections on growth, loss, and dreams. This four-session workshop trains students to appreciate the storytelling potential of their own memories and surroundings, and culminates in an edited nonfictional narrative. Also offered for middle school students.
Dialogue Writing Workshop (Creative Writing)
Attention all aspiring screenwriters, playwrights, short-story writers, and novelists! Dialogue is an essential part of nearly every story. This four-session workshop aims to help students create strong dialogue to enhance their storytelling ability. We’ll focus on how dialogue influences a story and is critical to character development.
Introduction to AP Calculus
This four-session mini-course serves as a solid overview for students entering AP Calculus. We’ll review certain algebraic techniques as well as introduce the concepts covered in AP Calculus. We’ll also provide insight into the everyday uses of Calculus and its importance in our daily lives.
Develop Your Summer Blueprint (Middle School)
Logic Games
Poetry (Middle School)
From Amanda Gorman and Kendrick Lamar to Shakespeare, poetry teaches us to see the beauty behind everyday reality. This five-session workshop allows students to become more comfortable reading, understanding, and writing poetry. Students’ final projects could include polished rap verses, lyric poems, haiku collections, and more. Also offered for high school students and as a custom course.
Custom Session Available: Perfect for a small group of friends to hone their poetry skills together.
Selfhood: A Journey in Self-Exploration (Middle School)
What can we learn from reading and writing stories? What can stories tell us about our own lives and identities? Through a series of activities and readings, we will examine our identities and develop the tools to tell our stories well. We will see how identities are formed and shaped through various experiences over time by collaborating with each other in investigating our own origins and history. Also offered for high school students and as a custom course.
One-on-one Summer Writing Workshop
Introductory Organizational Workshop
Our Organizational Workshop introduces our organization, time-management, and personal productivity skills and systems. The workshop covers binders, digital folders, written planner, when/where/how to study, managing distractions, nutrition/sleep/stress management, and setting academic and personal goals.
The workshop is an encouraging introduction to the skills that we highlight during weekly follow up sessions, which we recommend to ensure retention of new habits. We've adapted the workshop to focus on strategies to help students during remote learning, including managing digital distractions during online calls, compartmentalizing work, coming up with a weekly schedule, and prioritizing social, emotional and physical wellness during remote learning.
The introductory workshop is a virtual one-on-one, 90-minute session with a member of our staff. Once you sign up, we will reach out to confirm a time and date that works. (Also offered for High School)
Digital Literacy
Digital Literacy - We know social media posts and messages have the potential to alter lives, and also know that students aren't always given the proper tools to navigate their online and in-real-life experiences. Even the most informed parents aren't up to date on the latest and greatest in technology. This three session course uses the framework of healthy socialization, effective self-regulation and overall safety to help students understand the importance of impact and how to create a blueprint for their online experiences that promotes social, emotional, physical and spiritual wellness. It is based on the work Green Ivy founder Ana Homayoun has been doing in public, private and independent schools around the country as a result of my latest book, Social Media Wellness. (Check out the book trailer video here). Also offered for high school students.
Creative Nonfiction
Creative nonfiction turns even the most routine personal experiences into powerful reflections on growth, loss, and dreams. This four-session workshop trains students to appreciate the storytelling potential of their own memories and surroundings, and culminates in an edited nonfictional narrative. Also offered for high school students.
Looking at Planet Earth (aka Introduction to Earth Systems) (Part 1)
For any and all climate enthusiasts! Our sessions will focus on a general overview of the hydrosphere/cryosphere (ocean/ice), atmosphere (air), lithosphere (land), and biosphere (living things). We’ll use each session as an exploratory “deep dive” on each sphere and observe the interactions that occur within each system. This five-session mini-course concludes with an overview on fields involving Earth system science and environmental science (policy, law, research, and education).
Sustainable Solutions for Environmental Issues (Part 2)
Over the past few months, we’ve seen what a dramatic impact our altered use patterns have had on the environment. This mini-course focuses on how we can sustainably use the Earth’s resources. We’ll look at food production, water scarcity, biodiversity, energy, and overall climate change.
SSAT Strategy Overview
For students thinking of applying to private high school, the Secondary School Admission Test (SSAT) is used for admission (and there will be an at-home testing option this fall). This five-session overview goes through the SSAT format and timing, helps students understand the types of questions they will see on the test, and explains instructions that will be presented to them.